Instant Pot helps mom lose 103 pounds

The Daily Meal StaffThe Daily Meal

Brittany Williams is a wife, mother, and lover of food. She always has been - but she hasn't always been happy with her body. "I was an emotional eater, a bored eater, a TV eater, a binge eater; food controlled me," she wrote in a blog post. "By the time I met my husband in my 20s I was over 200 lbs."

"I was desperate to be skinny," she confessed. So in January of this year, she decided to embark on a dedicated, regimented weight loss journey. She cut out all processed food, quit going out to eat for good, made a long list of diet rules (detailed here) - and her husband bought her an Instant Pot.

Using whole foods and home-cooked meals, Brittany has lost a total of 103 pounds since January.

At her October weigh-in, she saw the scale go back up for the first time since her journey began - but she's determined to stick to a healthy holiday meal plan filled with simple, healthy holiday recipes.

Chicago is a city known for its robust drinking scene. From top cocktail bars like Aviary and The Whistler to neighborhood haunts like Inner Town Pub and Map Room, to cozy wine boites like Webster's Wine Bar, there's a watering hole for all manner of palates. This month, the Tribune's Food & Dining team is diving into bar culture, exploring dive bars, neighborhood bars, wine bars, new cocktail spots and even bar food. We'll be checking in with storied bartenders and owners, trying drinks, even recommending best times to visit and get a sense of local flavor. Check back every day in May for a new (or old!) bar to add to your must-visit list.